The Biggest Heist in American History
What if the best outcome after the midterms is that those who abused their power walk away unpunished?
January 6, 2021 Photo: www.rutgers.edu/news
What if the best outcome for American democracy is that those who abused presidential power escape accountability? If the alternative is a president refusing to accept an election defeat and triggering a constitutional crisis, the country could face that unthinkable choice.
There is a good chance that the biggest heist in history is taking place, and there is not a damned thing we can do about it. It is happening before our eyes, and the perpetrators might get away with it. Moreover, we will likely applaud the outcome because the other alternative is so much worse. Let me explain.
Imagine if you will, the president’s multiple attempts at voter suppression in the soon-to-be-upon-us midterm elections are a failure. ICE and the FBI polling “monitors” fail to intimidate the voting public. The resulting massive political landslide is interpreted as what it is, a nationwide condemnation of the incumbent administration. Democrats regain control of the House and Senate. Congressional investigations begin and find, no surprise, that Donald Trump is guilty of “high crimes.” His criminal acts are so obvious, and the evidence so overwhelming, that even some Republicans rediscover their oaths of office and cross the aisle to join the Democrats to impeach and convict.
But before a final vote tally can be conducted in the Senate, Mr. Trump resigns the office of president, and the sycophant Mr. Vance becomes the new White House occupant. His first act as chief executive is to provide a blanket pardon to his predecessor and all those appointed officials who were complicit in any crime. A perfect plan. Any Mafia don would be green with envy. A presidential pardon is usually the ultimate get out of jail free card. Mr. Trump, his family, and enablers walk away far wealthier than they were prior to their DC adventure and with no fear of Federal prosecution for actions taken as part of his presidential duties (thank you, Supreme Court). And now his staff is off the hook as well.
Believe it or not, this may be the best outcome that we can hope for. There is, of course, the other alternative mentioned earlier.
The midterm elections are again a disaster for the GOP. Mr. Trump states without evidence that the elections were fraudulent—that many thousands of immigrants voted illegally and an out-of-control Democratic Party has rigged the elections, and consequently, he declares the midterm elections null and void.
The White House then declares a national emergency and activates the National Guard over the heads of many objecting governors, who successfully stall the process in the courts. Then, out of frustration, the Oval Office attempts to deploy active US Army units to contested states, claiming without evidence that ANTIFA will soon engage in terrorist attacks on peace-loving Republicans. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff refuses the illegal order outright and is immediately fired publicly by the self-styled Secretary of “War,” the testosterone-obsessed and leak-obsessed Mr. Hegseth, throwing the Pentagon into further turmoil and confusion.
Most profit-driven corporate news broadcasts, even the hyper-biased Fox News and some of their right-wing clones, state that, despite White House claims to the contrary, the Republican Party has clearly lost multiple seats and will soon no longer control the House and Senate. Mr. Trump takes the desperate position that all such media reports are “fake news.”
A corrupted Supreme Court quickly supports the president’s false rationale for a declaration of national emergency and legitimizes his use of the National Guard. Mr. Trump calls his MAGA acolytes to fight for their country. Mr. Johnson, Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, standing beside his president, states for the cameras that he will refuse to swear in and seat the duly elected Democrats, resulting in a Constitutional crisis of epic proportions.
All this because of the fragile ego of a man who will go down in history as one of the most destructive con artists this planet has ever seen.
Do I possess an overactive imagination? We shall see. These are but two of many scenarios that could unfold. Frankly, I desperately hope to be proven wrong. However, we have already experienced the training exercise for one of these outcomes during the January 6th 2021 Insurrection.
This presidential administration clearly does not hold the law, integrity, or empathy in high regard. Simply put, Trump does nothing that does not serve either his self-interest or self-image. Tragically, his fragile ego and obvious vanity are limitless.
For these reasons, I see no soft landing here. I welcome your thoughts.
